Henning Larsen Proposes a "Learning Village" to Expand the Glyvra School in the Faroe Islands

"Danish architecture studio Henning Larsen has been selected to redesign and expand Glyvra School in the Faroe Islands, proposing a landscape-driven educational campus that responds directly to the region's topography and climate. Conceived as a "learning village," the project rethinks the role of the school in a small coastal community, positioning architecture and outdoor space as integral parts of everyday learning."

"Covering approximately 10,000 square meters, the expanded Glyvra School will accommodate 500 students, including preschool, middle school, after-school programs, and special education. The project includes the adaptive reuse of Heimistovufjósið, a historic barn built in the 1950s by Faroese architect Niels Pauli Hansen, which will house a new music school. The intervention preserves the building's original proportions, materials, and architectural character while introducing contemporary teaching spaces, rehearsal rooms, and a concert hall."

"Located between a fjord and a mountain, the proposal organizes the school as a cluster of interconnected volumes that follow the site's natural slopes, preserving much of the existing terrain while drawing green spaces into the heart of the campus. Classrooms, shared learning areas, and circulation spaces are oriented to maximize daylight, provide shelter from wind, and frame views toward the surrounding landscape."

Henning Larsen will redesign and expand Glyvra School in the Faroe Islands into a landscape-driven campus conceived as a learning village. The expansion covers about 10,000 square meters and will accommodate 500 students across preschool, middle school, after-school programs, and special education. The scheme adaptively reuses the 1950s Heimistovufjøsið barn as a music school with rehearsal rooms and a concert hall, preserving original proportions and materials. Buildings cluster along the site's natural slopes to maximize daylight, shelter from wind, and frame fjord and mountain views. Outdoor spaces connect directly with classrooms to support play and informal learning. Construction will be phased to keep the school operational.

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